Word

racist

noun B2

/ˈɹeɪ.sɪst/

Meanings

noun

a person who believes some races are superior to others and behaves in a discriminatory way

adjective

showing unfair or hostile attitudes, language, or behavior toward people because of their race

Definition

A racist is a person who believes some races are better than others and treats people unfairly because of their race.

A racist is someone who holds prejudiced beliefs about race and may treat people differently because of it. The word describes a person or their attitudes, comments, or actions. It is strongly negative and is used to criticize discrimination and prejudice.

Examples

He was fired after coworkers reported racist remarks during a meeting.
She refused to laugh at a racist joke and asked the group to stop.
They challenged a racist comment online and explained why it was harmful.
I left the chat because the conversation became racist and hostile.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes use "racist" to mean "rude" or "unfair" in general, but it specifically refers to prejudice or discrimination based on race.